ConsciousCafe Group Leaders held a wonderful retreat in Sussex last weekend to connect with and learn from one another. Leaders came from all over the UK, from our two groups in Switzerland and also from Scotland (a longer journey as it turned out than flying from Geneva or Basel).
We sorely missed our colleague leaders in South Africa, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Burley and Great Yarmouth who were unable to join us. ConsciousCafe is for everyone and we do have some groups led by male leaders but they also couldn’t be with us at this time.
We renewed our in person connections with one another: speaking monthly on Zoom, as we do when we can, just isn’t the same – and we shared our future vision of ConsciousCafe. We are all unpaid volunteers and our time is limited, but each one of us cares very deeply about our groups and the people in them and, above all, about the purpose of ConsciousCafe which is ‘raising consciousness once conversation at a time’. The more self-awareness each one of us has, the more we can reach towards a kinder, more loving and more peaceful future. All human beings want that.
We were incredibly lucky with the beautiful English weather and the sun shone on us all weekend so we were able to spend most of our time lounging (and working) under umbrellas on the patio of the gorgeous English Sussex garden. We talked and laughed and meditated and made thoughtful plans and felt very grateful for this delicious gift of relaxation and connection with such awesome likeminded people during these very changeable times on the planet. Huge thanks to Claridge House, Lingfield, for a truly wonderful Retreat experience.
To find out more abut all our groups and their regular activities and how to connect with the group leader please check out the information here. Many people find out about ConsciousCafe through word-of-mouth so do please share the details of our website with friends, colleagues and family who you think would enjoy what we offer.
We look forward to meeting you soon!
An Evening with Christa MackinnonExpanding our consciousness is key to evolution; humans possess the capacity to expand their perception through altering their mental states, accessing deeper and wider realities. Artists create their best paintings or music in altered states, writers access them to create fiction and poetry, spiritual masters receive their teachings and even scientists utilise these powers.
Christa Mackinnon is joining ConsciousCafe for an interactive talk on these alternative mental states. You will discover:
* how they naturally occur,
* how we can create them intentionally
* how you can use them to tap into your vast creative potential and connect to wider fields.
Christa is a psychologist, family counsellor, hypnotherapist, shamanic teacher and best-selling author. Working internationally as a psychologist, trainer and university lecturer, she specialised in complex trauma, which formed the basis for her expertise in the functioning of the human mind. Her fascination with the capacities of the human mind and consciousness led her to explore spiritual teachings, living in Ashrams in Asia and apprenticing to Shamans in the Americas. Christa now combines her knowledge of the contemporary psychological with ancient shamanic teachings, a subject she speaks, writes, trains and lectures widely about. Christa is the author of ‘Shamanism: Awaken and Develop the Shamanic Force Within’ (Hay House) and the ground breaking book ‘Shamanism and Spirituality in Therapeutic Practice’ (Jessica Kingsley Publishers). She is also the founder of ‘Bridging the Worlds’ and the co-founder of Women Weaving Change’.
Date: Monday 25 February
Time: 18:30 GMT
Location: Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London NW1 6XT (1 minute from Baker Street station)
Following our successful November event, we are enhancing this event with a networking opportunity in a café nearby. We will meet at 4.30 pm and you will have the chance for a networking conversation with ConsciousCafe people. We will also go out together after Christa’s event for a drink or a snack so that we can continue the conversation afterwards. Please email judy@consciouscafe.org if you would like to come to the early networking event and we will let you know where we are meeting.
Cancellation Policy Full refund minus 10% up to 7 days beforehand (Monday 18th Feb) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Listening is one of your most important life skills. You become a good listener when you take the time to truly hear and understand what people are saying to you.
When you do that, your relationship with everyone improves instantly. Being a good listener enables you to deepen the connection you have with everyone in your life - family, friends, work colleagues or strangers in the street.
All of us are capable of listening but very few of us do it well enough. Yet deep listening is the essential ingredient for building trust, developing better relationships and improving communications in all of our relationships.
During this interactive session, you will
About Colin
Colin is ‘The Listener’, a listening skills specialist with a passion for changing the way the world listens. His listening presence enables individuals to feel heard, to think smarter, and to transform their business and personal relationships by learning how to listen more effectively.
Colin has an innate ability to deeply listen, hold space and develop trust with people. He works privately with individuals, enabling them to express their feelings more easily, address their personal concerns, and to articulate their creative ideas.
He works with business teams, facilitating the development of listening and thinking skills to improve business relationships, be more creative and increase the level of trust.
NEW VENUE
To enhance the event, we are also offering the opportunity to meet nearby at 4:30 pm for a networking conversation. After the event, we will go to a nearby cafe to continue connecting.
We would like to thank our generous host, Konditor & Cook who have offered us their fabulous cafe which is situated at the bottom of the Gherkin building. You will be able to purchase their delicious patisserie (including vegan and gluten-free items), hot and cold drinks and prosecco.
Please book early as places are limited.
Please email judy@consciouscafe.org if you would like to come to the networking session at 4:30pm.
Cancellation Policy
Full refund minus 10% up to 7 days beforehand (November 6th) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
ConsciousCafe invites you to an evening with Jane Bailey Bain where you will be able to explore the power of stories in an interactive experience.
You are constantly working on your own life story. In our time together we will look at how you construct this – using archetypal figures, universal themes and classic storylines. You will have an opportunity to reflect on the stories that influenced you and we will discuss how you can consciously craft your future life. You will discover:
The stories you heard as a child have a profound influence on your life. Jane will be talking about how you still relate to those tales today and about the importance of storytelling in creating what you want to achieve.
Your life has a thread. It tells you where you have been and what you have done. It shows how one incident led to another and explains why things turned out the way they have.
But your life also has a deeper pattern. This one links the people, places and events that matter to you. It shows themes and motifs in your experience. It relates your actions to your inner values.
Jane’s event for ConsciousCafe in Geneva was a sell-out and we look forward to welcoming her in London.
Jane Bailey Bain is an author and creative coach, now based in London. She trained as a social systems advisor and worked for many years on development projects in Asia and Africa. During this time she became interested in stories and how people use them in everyday life. Jane now runs workshops on how to create your own life story and has written three books, Life Works, Story Works and Soul Works.
Cancellation Policy
Full refund minus 10% up to 7 days beforehand (10th September) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
ConsciousCafe invites you to an evening with Dina Glouberman at Central London social club,The Lib-rary in St Martin's Lane, WC2.
Dina has just published her new book, Into the Woods and Out Again: A Memoir of Love Madness and Transformation and she will be sharing her wisdom with you in an interactive session.
She will compare her experiences of a mental health breakdown with her experience of a spiritual breakthrough and will explore the question: how can you tell the difference between madness and miracles? She will also talk about and demonstrate the use of imagery to reach the 'genius imagination', our deep level of wisdom, and yet stay well grounded at the same time. There will be an opportunity to do an imaginative exercise to bring new insights into your life and a Q and A session.
Dr Dina Glouberman is one of the best-known and most respected pioneers in the UK human potential movement. We look forward to experiencing what is going to be a very special evening with her.
The price of your ticket includes a complimentary drink.
Dr Dina Glouberman is well known as a psychotherapist and author of several books including the bestseller, The Joy of Burnout. She is the creator of ImageWork Therapy and co-founder of the world-famous Skyros Holidays. Find out more on her website www.dinaglouberman.com
Full refund minus 10% up to 7 days beforehand (7th June) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
A discussion facilitated by Caroline Shola Arewa
We are living in extraordinary times. We are constantly pulled in different directions, balancing the daily requirements of our private lives with those of our demanding work-places. We long to switch off but find it hard to detach from our increasingly complex 21st century busy schedules.
It is both exciting and thrilling to live during these times. But the fast pace of change can also generate fear, anxiety and stress not just for us but for the people we love.
Caroline Shola Arewa is a Psychologist and Wellness Expert. She will facilitate an interactive discussion during which we will have the opportunity to explore our increasing need to take better care of ourselves. We will share some of the forms self-care can take and we will learn from one another’s experiences. We will leave with new techniques and tools for reducing stress and instantly raising our energy.
After the discussion we will go to a nearby café and continue talking and networking over a drink or snack (everyone pays for themselves).
Full refund minus 10% up to 7 days beforehand (9th May) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Mikkel Juel Iversen runs Under One Sky, an organisation which raises awareness of what life on the streets is really like and supports the homeless with life support packages and simple offers of help which may enable them to leave the streets and live independently.
Mikkel will facilitate an interactive discussion which will expand our understanding of what it means to be homeless in our wealthy and materialistic society and we will have the opportunity to explore this most basic of human needs and emotions for ourselves.
After the discussion we will go to a nearby cafe and continue talking and networking over a drink or snack (everyone pays for themselves).
Danish-born London based Mikkel Juel Iversen has one foot in social consciousness and change and one foot in the film world. In 2012 he set up the collective Under One Sky to support the homeless and bring attention to the issue of homelessness. The ethos of Under One Sky is to offer genuine personal connection with those living on the streets. Since its inception Under One Sky has supported 2,500 homeless people and the collective has grown to 400 volunteers.
A small percentage of the cost of your ticket tonight will be donated to Mikkel's organisation Under One Sky
Full refund minus 10% (admin costs) up to midnight on Sunday 22 April after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
An evening about Sensation - in the body.
Isabel Losada would like to talk to you about sex. In an informative, funny, sometimes shocking, sometimes vulnerable entertainment - Isabel will dispel many myths. She will tell us about a year where she decided to learn everything that she could about how to make sex into better sex in the contest of a long term and monogamous relationship. An evening for both men and women - whether you have been married for 40 years or are happily single - brush off your inhibitions and be prepared for honestly and laughter. Bring questions - everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask.
No clothes will be removed during this evening’s talk.
A better sex life? As The Guardian said of ’Sensation’ - ‘What better investment could there be in a relationship?'
This event will be held at the Library Club in Central London and is also open to some of their members.
Book early to reserve your place.
Isabel Losada has most recently discussed her new book ‘Sensation: Adventures in Sex, Love and Laughter’ on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’ and at the Hay International book festival. More information about Isabel and her other books can be found at www.isabellosada.com
Full refund minus 10% up to 7 days beforehand (5th March) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
In our fast-moving technological Age we are all bombarded with so much input that many of us regularly feel stressed and out of control as we try to process it all. What do we need to do in order to manage information overload effectively and enjoy a better quality of life?
In this thoughtful discussion we will be sharing our joint wisdom as we explore the topic together. Discover
Please note that we are experimenting with a new format for this event. We have reduced the price for the discussion which will now be from 6.30 to 8.30 and that will allow more time to go out together afterwards and continue the conversation in a café nearby.
We look forward to seeing you at this first ConsciousCafe event of 2018. Book your ticket now!
Full refund minus 10% up to 72 hours beforehand (7th January) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
What does it mean to belong? Can we belong to other people? And if we do, is that a good thing or not? How do we feel about other definitions of belonging – to a race, a culture, a country, a family, a group of likeminded people? All these and other aspects of Belonging will be explored in our discussion which will be facilitated by Tamara Alferoff.
Join us after the discussion at a local café for a drink or snack and further networking (everyone pays for themselves). We would love to see you there.
For nearly forty years Tamara has taken great pleasure in facilitating workshops and retreats, addressing a wide range of topics including: Symptoms, Conflict Clarification, Council of All Beings, Co-Counselling Training, Group Dynamics, Dream Groups, Well-Being, Body, Relationships, Despair and Empowerment, Food, Money, Inner Child, Fear and Freedom, Creativity, Parenting, Aging and Illness, including some new and exciting themes coming up. Participants on Tamara’s events often experience a deeper sense of connection, purpose, and peace, as well as coming out lighter and more connected in relationship to self, other, and the world. Times of intensive work relieved with periods for solitude and silence. A supportive, challenging, and transformative process!Full refund minus 10% up to 72 hours beforehand (14th October) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Led by Sarah Alexander
Labour MP Jo Cox left us with a pertinent message: “We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than the things that divide us.” But at this time of polarisation, fragmentation and division in society, this message seems a far cry from reality.
In our personal journey from emotional intelligence to spiritual intelligence, we come to the realisation that we share the same core essence. We recognise that we all have different bodies and personalities with a host of varied beliefs. And yet it is this commonality within that ultimately unites us.
In our discussion, we will be considering how we live this practically day-to-day and bring this shared unity into every aspect of our life experience.
After the discussion ends, join us for coffee, wine,snacks and great networking at a nearby cafe. Everyone pays for themselves.
……………………………..
Sarah Alexander
Sarah Alexander offers coaching and training for coaches, consultants and business professionals based on the principles set out in her book Spiritual Intelligence in Leadership. Sarah combines this mental tool kit with the latest neuroscience and practical strategies for success. She acts as a GPS for her clients: ensuring they remain on track to their chosen destination.
Sarah Alexander has had 16 years’ experience as a coach and trainer. Over that time, she has worked with entrepreneurs, sports professionals and performers on the international stage and leaders in multinational organisations in the UK, Europe and the Far East.
Sarah has written many articles for magazines and national newspapers including The Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail and Huffington Post. She has also spoken regularly on the radio. In The Daily Express she has been described as “the elegant, calm and collected guru of all things inner gleaming”. Sarah is the author of Spiritual Intelligence in Leadership and Spiritual Intelligence in Business.
Full refund minus 10% up to 72 hours beforehand (16th September) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Join us with our guest speaker, Jude Jennison, for an evening of fun, laughter and thought-provoking ideas and a discussion on the topic of Living and Working with Uncertainty
| Why? | We wanted to have a fabulous networking event to bring people together for rich conversation and to create new connections |
| When? | Monday 3 July 6.30 – 9.30 pm |
| Where? | Central London venue, near Charing Cross |
| The Format | Listen to our speaker Jude Jennison who will lead us into a discussion in small groups on Living and Working with Uncertainty Connect with old and new friends - thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, holistic therapists and a wide range of likeminded people from different backgrounds who all share a common goal - to make the world a better place Enjoy drinks and food Huge thanks to publishers Simon and Schuster UK for donating several very exciting new books as prizes for our raffle |
The rapid advancement of technology has fuelled fast-paced change in business, creating a high performance culture that requires leaders to be resilient, agile and results-focused. The increased level of uncertainty and an ever-expanding workload create stress, overwhelm, fear and polarization, leading to disconnection. The world never stops and when people get caught in the same trap, they risk burning out.
We will discuss the challenges we face in the workplace and how we can create business results through the natural human characteristics of communication, connection, compassion and community.
Jude Jennison is a thought leader, international speaker, Horse Assisted Educator and author of the book Leadership Beyond Measure. She is co-founder of The Leadership Whisperers, a company inspiring people within some of the world’s leading organisations to create more human connection in a high-performance culture. She works with executive boards and senior leadership teams to develop embodied leadership skills to lead through uncertainty. Jude partners with horses who provide non-judgmental feedback, enabling clients to identify their leadership behaviours and transform themselves into courageous and hugely influential, non-verbal communicators.
Ticket price includes wine or soft drinks and food
Full refund minus 10% up to 72 hours beforehand (30th June) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Join us for an enjoyable ‘Walk and Talk’ with ConsciousCafe across Hampstead Heath to visit Kenwood House
Hampstead Heath is a wild untamed 800 acres of natural wilderness in North London. We invite you to ‘walk and talk’ across the heath and enjoy its wild beauty. We will stop at Kenwood House, a famous stately home with spectacular grounds, for a cup of tea. Many famous films have had scenes filmed at Kenwood including Notting Hill and Belle. We will return to our starting point via a different route.
2.00pm: Meet at Hampstead tube (Northern line). We will walk to Kenwood which will take about an hour. We will stop for tea and there will be time for a quick visit to the house for anyone who wants to. We will then make our way back to Hampstead via the famous Whitestone Pond which some guidebooks say is the highest point in London.
Important note. The terrain is uneven and hilly in parts. You will need strong trainers or walking shoes and a bottle of water.
In the event of heavy rainfall anyone who wants to can meet at Hampstead tube at 2.30 and we will enjoy coffee and a discussion in one of Hampstead’s many attractive cafes.
This event is free, but please book to confirm you are coming so we know whether to wait for you.
A Discussion to be facilitated by Caroline Shola Arewa
We live on a beautiful planet. But as populations have grown and in our thirst for material growth, we have created many serious problems which urgently need resolution.
The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.
Gandhi
How should each of us live in order to feel we are making a difference? What do we need to do? These and many other interesting ideas will all be part of the evening's discussion.
Come and join this discussion as we explore the challenge of change.
Full refund minus 10% up to 72 hours beforehand (7th May) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Wellness Coach, humanistic psychologist and author Caroline Shola Arewa, has inspired people worldwide for thirty years with her pioneering and awarding winning work. She is the founder of Energy 4 Life Wellness Coaching www.energy4lifecoach.com Where she Trains Wellness Coaches and offers people the opportunity to “get your Energy back and your Life on track’ using high energy and conscious living techniques.
The price of the event includes a complimentary soft drink or coffee and light refreshments
After the discussion at 9.30 you are welcome to join us at nearby Carluccio in the Marriott Hotel Swiss Cottage, 5 mins walk away from the venue, to continue the conversation (everyone pays for themselves). Please email to let us know if you would like us to book a place for you on info@consciouscafe.org
To find out how to receive our Supporter Discount to this and all our events and what it means to be a ConsciousCafe Supporter, click here.
Full refund minus 10% up to 72 hours beforehand (2nd April) after which we apologise, but cannot offer any refund due to room hire and administration costs.
Facilitated by Tamara Alferoff
What does it mean to have an identity? How do you identify yourself? Is it a stable state, or an evolving process? And what about other people - can you identify for example friend or foe? Are you a separate ’thing'? Who belongs with you and who not, and could that change?
Recent world events are highlighting such questions and calling forth our deeper wisdom.
For nearly forty years Tamara has taken great pleasure in facilitating workshops and retreats, addressing a wide range of topics including: Symptoms, Conflict Clarification, Council of All Beings, Co-Counselling Training, Group Dynamics, Dream Groups, Well-Being, Body, Relationships, Despair and Empowerment, Food, Money, Inner Child, Fear and Freedom, Creativity, Parenting, Aging and Illness, including some new and exciting themes coming up. Participants on Tamara's events often experience a deeper sense of connection, purpose, and peace, as well as coming out lighter and more connected in relationship to self, other, and the world. Times of intensive work relieved with periods for solitude and silence. A supportive, challenging, and transformative process!
Here is a unique opportunity to take part in a short interactive workshop for conscious leaders, facilitators, coaches, and everyone who wants to inspire others and make a difference in the world.
Leadership Inspiration is as much an art and a skill as it is a conscious practice. As leaders, the practice involves knowing ourselves and how we influence and impact others.
In this lively interactive 90 minute session, you will learn
In order to inspire others you must, of course, be inspired yourself. When your eyes sparkle and you feel enthused and impassioned by an idea, a project or a campaign, understanding how to consciously work with your emotional intelligence will help you express yourself better. You will be able to develop your own self awareness and understanding and combine your skills and communication abilities to make a real difference in the world.
This is a unique opportunity to further your leadership skills. Book now
.
Deborah has worked in the personal development field for 20 years. She works with some of the worlds top organisations around the world including AmEx, Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and Pepsico. Originally trained as a Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, she has studied Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy and Art therapy and has gained Mastery in NLP Executive Coaching and NLP Trainer’s Training.
In the 90s, she worked in the field of trauma recovery and Addiction Rehabilitation facilitating hundreds of people through deep level life-changing transformation, training counsellors and coaches in facilitating others before moving into the corporate world where she specialises in Leadership Presence. She has worked in Financial Services, heading up EY’s Relationship Development function and has lectured on MA in Creative Leadership on Emotional Intelligence in Leadership at Regents University. She now helps business leaders, senior executives and entrepreneurs to define their leadership identity or personal brand and develop their passion and presence on stage, in presentations and meetings. All her work is underpinned by the values of authenticity and emotional intelligence.
Following our very powerful September event facilitated by Claudia Roth of Soul Luxury, when we explored the new way of doing business which is learning to ‘allow’, Claudia has shared this blog with us:
My reality was shaken when I was in Auroville in the south of India last November! For many years (even decades) I created this special self-image called Claudia Roth, a successful global business leader who much enjoyed a career in luxury hospitality. I was very proud of my self-image which I curated with passion and careful attention.
Something profound happened!
No doubt you’ve heard people saying, ‘This is who I am and I won’t change!’ Leaders who maintain this position are unconsciously admitting they can’t see beyond their self-image.
To be fixated by self-image means to be non-creative and, in essence, limited to a defined set of often rigid thought processes and beliefs; this has consequences for all aspects of life.
Without realising it, many of us have created identities – or self-images – of ourselves.
Perhaps you have an image of yourself as important, as a successful businessperson, as ambitious and competent, or as someone who has all the answers. This sort of identity, built up over years, governs your view of the world more than you realise.
Jim Morrison – lead singer of The Doors – said: “We're locked in an image, an act - and the sad thing is, people get so used to their image, they grow attached to their masks. They love their chains.”
Holding onto this adopted identity is like wearing a professional mask; with it in place, either in business or in life, you are not allowing yourself to be truly authentic and importantly, you are limiting yourself to new awareness so as to evolve as a business leader and individual.
Is it possible to maintain a professional identity or self-image for years and not even be aware of it? Trust me, I speak from experience – I only realised that ‘the other’ persons were there (yes ... you read correctly .... we have not only one self image but several!) when I began to question why I thought and reacted in the ways that I did.
Indeed, it is only when we start exploring our genuine thoughts, reactions, emotions and ways of living that we can begin to live in the truest sense of ourselves. And if you have reaffirmed and energised a mask successfully for many years, it can be a painstaking process to dismantle it to discover who you really are!
So, why would you want to move beyond this learned identity – your cherished self-image – especially if it has been serving you well for many years as in my instance?
The more authentic you become, the more you step into your ‘space of greatness’. You no longer pretend to be somebody else, running on ‘patterns’ or be guided to uphold your self-images. Instead you connect to your inner wisdom, which then guides you throughout your life.
As you explore your self-image, you will start challenging certain beliefs and removing others that may be limiting you. You will find yourself wanting to know the world for what it actually is, rather than what you believe it to be. You will become curious again. Creativity and inspiration will flourish as a result, becoming assets both in your life and your business. Unimaginable opportunities are unfolding!
Embarking on this process isn’t easy. It won’t provide a quick fix to all of life’s challenges. But it is a powerful experience that will connect you to your truth and inner wisdom, where you will find contentment, joy and guidance, and your next level of personal and business success.
I will be returning to Auroville soon again .... The story continues.
1. Start off by naming the labels you give to yourself. For example, “I am a successful, highly in demand, creative and outspoken manager.” Write down your labels.
2. Identify the labels you wish to dissolve and make a commitment to move closer to your ideal life situation.
3. Create some time for reflection, to explore what lies behind the labels you identify.
4. Pay attention to the story you create when you look in the mirror: do you create a negative or a positive self-image, or an over-inflated self-image guided by ego?
5. Observe your opinions: what you say, how you say it, the likes and dislikes you use to reinforce your self-image. Do you judge fairly or based on pre-conceived ideas?
6. Explore how tied you are to your memories: whether good or bad, acting in response to memories can lead to inauthentic results, from irrational fears to rose-tinted actions.
7. Take time to assess how your story, opinions, actions and reactions would be if you created them anew based on what you actually see, think and feel.
Enjoy discovering yourself! Awareness creates choice.
A little about me: I am grateful to look back at a successful, global and hugely rewarding international career in the luxury hospitality & travel industry. I have learned what luxury is and what it is not. I understand service excellence, and I know what it is not! I have travelled the world in style and had many enjoyable moments of living a corporate career.
Having now moved on from corporate life, my network describes me as a global pioneer in luxury and consciousness. People are seeking increased meaning and connection – in their lives and the brands they align with. But whether an individual or a company, true connection can only come from within: from an exploration of awareness and an unwavering commitment to authenticity and integrity.
I am the founder and Managing Director of Soul Luxury, a company operating globally that helps businesses understand these evolutionary shifts and create their own new currency of connection within themselves and with their clients.
I write articles from time to time. There is no right or wrong, it is only a view. Up to now largely my silent view.
Claudia Roth
Copyright © 2016 Soul Luxury.
The US election is nearing its conclusion. Whatever happens now, November 2016 will be a landmark date in history. For the ugliness of this election has exposed the failure of the US democratic process in that two highly unsuitable and unpopular candidates have polarised views and torn the American nation apart.
During the next week many unprecedented events may happen and each time the whole world will be shaken up. The leadership of the American nation affects every single one of us.
It has taken me a while to realise that while I do not endorse either candidate, Donald Trump's significant role in this election and in the future of humanity has been to awaken millions of people all over the world to the failure of the democratic system. If he were not an outsider and the kind of person he has shown himself to be, he would never have had the thick skin to stand up to the vitriol directed at him (most of it of course, rightly) and would not have become this year's presidential candidate. Hillary has been supported throughout by the mainstream media. But it is Donald who pulls in the crowds because he is expressing what so many Americans feel - that their country and their media and their governmental structures are not working for them. For that reason millions of people are able to forgive his many character flaws because they have recognised that America needs to change and they only see Donald as offering that hopeful possibility to them.
We do not know what will happen during the next fortnight. Whatever the news may bring, it is important to stay centred and calm and not to give our energy over to fear or to anxiety. Instead we can choose to focus on a vision of love, kindness, tolerance, peace, joy and all the good things that every human being wants to have in their lives. We can focus on those things not just for ourselves but for everyone all over the world and especially all those who are struggling to survive and those who are living in war-torn nations.
Each time you find yourself giving way to a darker thoughts, remind yourself to focus on positive energy, rather than negative. Raise your energy as high as you can for that is the only way to create a better world for all of us. Whatever may happen during the next fortnight we need to focus on whatever comes to pass being in the best interests of all of humanity (even though we may not recognise it at the time) and we must set our intention and our hopes for that to be achieved.
HOW AUTHENTIC ARE YOU?
We'll be discussing these questions and other aspects of authenticity. Come and join in the discussion.
I have been re-visiting my ideas about mindfulness in the last few days in preparation for an event which I am facilitating.
I first came across the term ‘mindfulness’ many years ago when I was sent an early copy of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book, Wherever You go, There You Are, with a view to my being the UK publisher for it. Jon Kabat-Zinn had taken ideas from ancient Buddhist practices and explored how to make them accessible to the mainstream. He believed that Western society had lost touch with the universal human qualities of paying attention and living with awareness.
This was 1994 and the thinking behind the book was all completely new to us at Piatkus. We had published books on meditation but this was so much more.
In the introduction the author explains that ‘wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you are thinking right now, that’s what’s on your mind.’ It looks at first like a simple observation but in fact it requires much practice and self-awareness to observe your thoughts in this way. The important question we must each ask ourselves is how best to respond to any given situation in which we find ourselves and the answer to that question lies in responding with your full awareness to whatever is going on for you right there in that moment.
Whatever has happened has already happened. The future is unknown. When we can truly learn to live in the present, to ‘be in touch with where we already are’, then we are in a situation where we have the most to gain for we can understand more of ‘the truth’ of what we are really experiencing and ideally respond with wisdom and heartfelt understanding.
I took the book to the editorial meeting and we were all keen to go ahead. But the ideas were so new at the time, that we thought we would need to change the title of the book or we would have difficulty in selling it into the bookshops (this was long before the days of amazon). Accordingly we retitled it Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life. We printed an initial edition of 3000 copies. The Daily Mail wrote a piece about it which resonated so profoundly that the book sold out within a week. It nevertheless took many years before it was taken up by psychotherapists as a tool to help their patients and subsequently the concept of mindfulness found its way into the NHS and after that became mainstream.
Now mindfulness has become an industry. People know that practising mindfulness is good for them but they are not sure why. It takes time to become mindful of who we are as individuals, how we respond to different situations in the way that we do, whether we are truly living our lives the way we want to, whether we are living from our hearts.
Mindfulness has been an extraordinary gift to the world. and the gifts it offers are available to each and every one one of us every day of our lives – as long as we are aware when we are truly ‘there’.
For those interested you can click here to purchase or review Jon Kabat - Zinn's book: Wherever You Go, There You Are.
'Love is the strongest force the world possesses'
Gandhi
We are living through a massive period of awakening. This extraordinary transformation is generating huge challenges and amazing opportunities for everyone across the planet. ConsciousCafe believes it is time for each one of us to be pioneers. To work together to raise the vibration of love in ourselves so that we can share it in our world. In our own small way, each of us is able to contribute to increasing peace, love and harmony on the planet.
To view the programme in detail, click here
Click on each photo for their biography or click here to read about them all.
Click on each photo to read more about each individual or
visit our Experts page to read about them all.
Registration and networking from 9am for 9.45 start. Close at 5.15
Your ticket includes refreshments and a light vegetarian lunch.
For further information or to specify dietary requirements please contact info@consciouscafe.org
Limited number of concessions available. Please contact judy@consciouscafe.org
Cancellation up to 20 November will receive a full refund less 10% admin costs or a full credit towards future ConsciousCafe events. We regret we cannot offer a refund after that date but we will offer a credit of £50 towards future ConsciousCafe events from 21- 24 November. From 25 – 27 November we regret we cannot offer a credit or a refund.
ConsciousCafe celebrated its 5th birthday at the beginning of July with a lively party for 50 people. 6 of them had been at the original ConsciousCafe group launch in 2011.
Kenny and Judy jointly compered and introduced Viv Garbe who opened the party with a beautifully delivered meditation to bring peace to the world.
We then took 2 minutes to introduce ourselves to someone in the room whom we had never met before to ask the question ‘How did you become spiritual?’ This led to some beautiful stories and sharing moments.
In typical ConsciousCafe style everyone was then offered discussion options. Choices included ‘Where does Happiness come from?’ or ‘Who are you?’ and for those who felt like something more lighthearted, you could choose a miscellaneous card with a provocative question on it and explore that in groups.
It was a bright summers evening and light seemed to stream through the windows and fill the room. We shared another short meditation and a moving closing circle, taking time to celebrate everyone connecting for this lovely anniversary. The moment was captured with a group photo and we all sang 'Happy Birthday'.
By then we were all starving and enjoyed supper, more conversation and birthday cake.
It was truly a special evening, beautifully captured with many excellent photos by Jon, which you can find on our Facebook page, here.
AN INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP FACILITATED by CLAUDIA ROTH
For many years we have all been used to working in a certain way. But now the fast-changing world in which we live combined with a myriad of new technology is changing all that.
New rules for the way to work best are constantly being created and it is only the limitations of our mind-set that prevent us from moving as fast and as effectively as we would like.
Technology combined with rising consciousness offers modern different ways of thinking and being. One of the most important skills is to learn to create by having a sense of who we are in the world and what we want to achieve. With clear focus and the ability to ‘allow’ for things to happen, we attract situations and circumstances which are more aligned to our purpose and who we are.
Claudia Roth will share her experience of moving from a state of constantly ‘doing’ (a sign of success in the corporate world) to a new place of ‘allowing’ in the process, transforming her life professionally and personally to a new level of inner connectedness. During the evening you will learn, discuss and explore how to unlearn some of the habits you are so familiar with i.e. your success patterns and discover how to start creating a more smooth-flowing lifestyle in alignment with your purpose. You will gain awareness of how to become much more effective in allowing life to flow the way you want it to. Be warned … it is a journey of unlearning!
Claudia Roth Biography
An experienced, global senior corporate executive and former Vice President Europe, Middle East & Africa of The Leading Hotels of the World (the world’s largest hospitality organisation, representing over 375 of the finest hotels, resorts and spas such as The Ritz London, the Sandy Lane in Barbados … the best of the best), her sweet spot is using her mastery of business and awareness to inspire others to see the business world differently. Claudia enjoys a strong track record in managing and leading multi-cultural organizations and teams through growth and change.
Described as “a pioneer in luxury and consciousness” and a global citizen, she helps decisi
on makers reach beyond their own boundaries and limitations to create a new paradigm of success. She believes in reconnecting employees to the business, to the brand and customers – by opening the door to greater awareness, expanding beyond perceived limitations, and exploring the possibilities and depths of success.
Smart companies have woken up to the fact that change has to come from within – and that nothing less than genuine awareness, personal integrity and emotional engagement will do in such a fast changing and transparent environment. She is the founder and Managing Director of Soul Luxury, an innovative client-experience company that unites the worlds of business and awareness.
If you cancel up to 72 hours before the event we can either refund your money, less 10% admin costs, or you can have a full credit for a future ConsciousCafe event to be used within two years.
All these and many other questions will be answered in our publishing workshop which will include:
Our speakers have a huge amount of knowledge and experience and they will be sharing the secrets behind their publishing success with you.
Free download of The Book You Were Born to Write by Nick Williams for every participant who attends the workshop
Nick Williams is an internationally renowned speaker, mentor and best-selling author of thirteen books including The Work We Were Born To Do. Four books have been with major publishers and nine have been a combination of self-publishing and working with small publishers. His books have been translated into seven languages.
He has been invited to work with such diverse household names such as IKEA, BT, BBC, Merrill Lynch, The Met Police, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and a number of NHS trusts, as well as leadership organisations like The Institute of Leadership. He is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences, and has been involved in around 2,000 media features.
He has spent over 20 years as a coach, adviser, friend, mentor, spiritual advisor and encourager to leaders and emergent leaders in the areas of business, the media and entertainment, the law, personal and spiritual growth, academia and retail.
www.iamnickwilliams.com
Chantal Cooke is an award winning journalist and broadcaster – turned PR guru.
Chantal worked as a journalist / presenter for over 25 years, reporting from all over the world including Bosnia and Northern Ireland and has written many travel articles.
In 2002 she set up the UK’s first ethical radio station; PASSION for the PLANET and attracted an audience of over 100k. In 2010 Chantal founded a boutique PR agency specialising in small businesses (Panpathic) and authors (The Book Booster). Chantal’s focus is helping authors attract the attention of journalists and new readers.
Chantal is author of “The Authority Guide to Marketing Your Business Book” and “PR Demystified – how to get free publicity by giving journalists what they really need”
Chantal is an experienced presenter and regularly delivers training at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Council.
Twitter: @ChantalCooke / @TheBookBooster
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantalcooke
Judy Piatkus, entrepreneur and publishing expert, founded Piatkus Books from her bedroom and grew it to become one of the most successful independent UK publishing companies. She has published every kind of general non-fiction including biography, memoir, history, food and drink (including 14 titles by Mary Berry) and humour. Piatkus Books was especially credited for being a pioneer in the areas of business, self-help, personal development and mind, body and spirit. Judy is also an expert in publishing commercial fiction and brought many novels by internationally renowned authors to the UK. Judy successfully sold the company to Little Brown who continue to publish under the Piatkus imprint. She continues to be a publishing consultant.
If you cancel up to 72 hours before the event we can either refund your money, less 10% admin costs, or you can have a full credit for a future ConsciousCafe event to be used within two years.
Illuminating the ShadowDavid Furlong’s latest book, Illuminating the Shadow, is a wonderful, erudite account of the human psyche, particularly in its wounded and hidden aspects. First we are introduced to the concept of the Shadow in films, literature, myth, metaphor and Fairy Tales, before learning how it manifests at a personal, public and collective level. Finally, we are taught how to learn from and integrate this aspect of ourselves, and of the human condition.Illuminating the Shadowis full of practical insights drawn from Furlong’s work as a therapist, with exercises to help the reader explore and make peace with him or herself. It is the sort of book that deserves more than one reading; that asks to be borrowed and lent so that the wisdom contained within can be shared as widely as possible.
Dr Fiona Bowie, King’s College London & the Afterlife Research Centre
author of the best selling Anthropology of Religion (Blackwell)
****
Illuminating the Shadow explores a rich breadth of academic knowledge and everyday life experience with great depth and wisdom. Scholarly exposition of shadow through history, the arts and sciences provides far-reaching insights for human nature and global society. Story, myth and metaphor show how we express and try to understand our own complexity, divine mystery and the struggle between good and evil at personal and collective levels. And bringing dark psyche into the light shows shadow in relief, not to be eliminated but illuminated since, in its vital integrative function, it is both teacher and healer. Therapeutic examples and exercises in shadow work demonstrate the journey into light and compassionate love, with free will continuously informed by evolving consciousness, that points us towards full relationship with the living human God, and with our selves and each other. For the advancement of mental and spiritual health, this eminently practical book deserves a wide readership.
Dr David McDonald, Consultant Psychiatrist and Advisor in the Church of England’s Healing Ministry
To purchase from Amazon, click below:
The indoors Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre was built as part of Anneka Rice’s Challenge programme in the ‘80s and does incredibly important work to improve the lives of disabled people. 40 of us arrived there on a warm light summer evening, excited as to what we might learn and some of us a little apprehensive having never worked alongside horses before.
How do we Lead in a time of Uncertainty
Jude explained that we can learn a lot about leadership from horses because they have no agenda. Working with horses is working with uncertainty and as all leaders must work with uncertainty, the horses mirror how each of us leads in situations and times of uncertainty.
Four volunteers chose to work with two beautiful horses and each of them took a turn leading one of the horses around the arena while the audience observed closely their leadership style. Leading a horse can be difficult for no one knows how the horses will respond. Each volunteer revealed how the experience had felt for them and what they had learned.
What Part do We Play in the Team?
Jude and Emma then invited all the participants into the arena with the horses and gave each of us the opportunity to explore how we lead – from the front, from the side or from behind. They presented new ways of thinking about our position in the team and gave us the opportunity to experience how this felt as we all took part in a simple group exercise.
In a final task, all those who particularly wanted to work with the horses stayed in the arena and completed an activity which involved working in teams and leading the horses through an obstacle course. As I watched this final exercise from the audience stand, I felt a lump come into my throat. People who had never met before had worked beautifully as a team with two very wise animals to move in seamless flow and harmony. I thought that the exercise also reflected the energy of people who come to ConsciousCafe, trusting, present, intuitive, thoughtful, caring.
At the end of the session everyone had the opportunity to be with the horses in the arena and to share in groups what they had experienced and what they had learned about their own leadership style and capabilities. Everyone departed the event with new knowledge about themselves, learned in the most memorable and unique way.
Huge thanks to Jude and Emma for giving their time and for sharing their expertise. If you want to learn more, you can read Jude’s book Leadership Beyond Measure, details of which are on the books page at ConsciousCafe. Emma told us the remarkable story of the Pony centre and if you would like to volunteer there, you can learn more here.
Judy
ConsciousCafe Founder
… or more accurately, to be human is to BE music – the steady rhythm of our hearts, the melody of the rise and fall of our breath, the counterpoint of our many interactions…
Come and join us at ConsciousCafe Oundle and let Eleanor Gibson help you connect with the music inside.
Lifemusic connects us to the life within us, to each other and to the flow of time. We have no choice but to be in the moment. Making, receiving and responding to sounds, embraced and supported by the flow of the music.
Lifemusic has four guiding principles:
No musical experience or training is needed. We use ‘instant access’ instruments that are easy and intuitive to play – or you can bring your own instrument along. Simple musical ideas act as a starting point for improvisation and the music has a life of its own.
In the words of one practitioner:
‘Just one of the many things I love about Lifemusic is its spontaneity, unpredictability, kaleidoscope of surprises, the way it moves me (emotionally and physically), thrills me and provides the brushes and paintpots which create pictures 'in and out of my imagination'.’
Eleanor Gibson
Eleanor has been facilitating music sessions with children and with adults in a variety of settings for nearly 30 years. Her approach is fundamentally person centred and always seeks to encourage and support each person’s ‘inner music’. She qualified as a Lifemusic practitioner in December 2014 and was delighted to find a method which validates and supports her approach and which makes music making accessible to absolutely everybody.
Find out more about Lifemusic here: http://lifemusicmethod.blogspot.co.uk/p/welcome-to-lifemusic.html
Street Wisdom is the brainchild of David Pearl who believes that many of the answers to questions and problems that challenge us in our lives can be found in the streets around us, if we would only take the time to look.
We divided into three groups and each of us went to a different part of Camden Market. It was still fairly quiet, early in the morning and easy to absorb all the amazing sights and sounds as the many stallholders set out their wares and the food vendors prepared their meals. Each facilitator sent their group members on four ten-minute short walks with a specific issue to observe and think about during that time. These exercises put us in an altered state in that we all became very relaxed. Then we were left with time to wander round the market and observe what answers to our questions would come up for us.
After 50 minutes or so we all met in a nearby bar and again, in our groups, shared our experiences.
The answer to my own question had come very fast and kept being reinforced as I wandered round the market. One woman had a question regarding her relationship and she spotted a sign that made it very clear that the decision she wanted to make was the right one. Another participant was clarifying ideas about where to live and the Street Wisdom Experience opened her mind to new possibilities. Everyone in all the groups had gained from the wisdom of the streets.
Many years ago I read Living Magically by Gill Edwards, her first book, which introduced me to the concept of metaphysics and how helpful signs are all around us if we allow ourselves to be sufficiently aware to take the time to see. Street Wisdom also works in the same way reminding us that our knowingness operates on so many different levels. I like the idea that I could repeat my Street Wisdom experience any time I want to when I have another important question that needs an answer.
ConsciousCafe will be happy to offer another Street Wisdom experience in due course if anyone was unable to take part in this one. Just let us know at judy@consciouscafe.co.org and when we have enough people we will set it up.
Meanwhile, to find out more here is David Pearl, who founded Street Wisdom and was one of our facilitators, talking about it in a TED speech
JP
May 2016
But how do you achieve emotional mastery? How do you learn to accept yourself, warts and all, understand what triggers different aspects of your behaviour and know what leads to certain outcomes which may not be the ones you want? How do you get to appreciate all the different parts of you?
In this interactive workshop, leading coach and behavioural expert Kenny Mammerella D’Cruz will help you get to know the different parts of your personality so that you can understand yourself better and know how to control the parts of you which may be leading you away from the future you really want.
Kenny will also focus on your Inner Critic. This is the part of you that often gives both you and other people who you come into contact with a hard time. Kenny will show you a simple exercise that will offer you great insights into your behaviour so that you can let go of habits you don’t want or need and focus on achieving your dreams and desires.
If you want an experiential workshop that offers you unexpected insights and the opportunity to discuss, explore and value your inner self, then this is the space for you.
Kenny Mammerella D’Cruz is a personal development consultant, a leading UK coach and a top facilitator of experiential groups, for both men and women. His varied career has taken him all over the world and his work has been featured in many media outlets including Newsweek magazine who called him ‘Man Whisperer’ and on Channel 4.
If you cancel up to 72 hours before the event we can either refund your money, less 10% admin costs, or you can have a full credit for a future ConsciousCafe event to be used within two years.
Since then ConsciousCafe has run more than 75 discussion groups and workshops and a retreat as well. A few hundred people have attended our events – all of them hearing about what ConsciousCafe offers by word-of-mouth as we have only begun to advertise our events publicly in the last few months.
Our passion is for community, connection and exploration – all in an atmosphere of lightheartedness. We have never taken ourselves too seriously. As a result, many wonderful friendships have been formed and fabulous connections made.
As one member has said ‘its so good to walk into a room and meet so many people who immediately understand where you are coming from and what you are saying’.
Now we are spreading our wings. We invite you to join us on this journey as all of us contribute what we can to creating a better world by raising consciousness about who we are and how we live, one conversation at a time.
We have some fabulous events lined up for the next few months and more will be added very soon. Book now and take advantage of our Earlybird discounts. Last year we had three events which sold out completely and while we usually have space at the last moment, some of the venues we use are strict about numbers.
Thank you to everyone who has been on the journey so far and especially to all our Supporters who come to our events and who have contributed financially to help us build this site and to the ConsciousCafe volunteer group who offer so much of their time to helping build the network. Last but not least massive thanks are due to Gary of Studio74 Creative Design for being so easy to work with, Kate Cowan of Fox Brand Marketing for her constant inspiration and to Joyce Deen who works tirelessly behind the scenes keeping the show on the road. We love all of you and we look forward to seeing you at ConsciousCafe soon.
Judy
ConsciousCafe Founder
*This special event is held by ConsciousCafe and Streetwisdom and will be led by the inventor of Street Wisdom, David Pearl. A £5 donation will be collected on the day from attendees and will go towards the work of Street Wisdom and Conscious Cafe.*
What is it? At the centre of Street Wisdom lies the idea that every moment is extraordinary and every street is full of inspiration - that there’s no such thing as an ordinary street, just ordinary thinking. Few of us give ourselves time or permission to really focus on the world around us but the urban landscape is full of signs and signals that we normally ignore, rich stimulus that can help us learn something new.
Street Wisdom takes place in three parts. First, our street guides help you tune up your senses so you can pick up far richer information from the environment that you would normally. Then you’re off on a journey by yourself – your street quest – where you ask a question and see what answers present themselves. You don’t have to go far but it’s amazing what you can learn. In the final 60 minute session everyone gathers together to share what happened and, more often than not, their wonder at how magical an ordinary street can become when you’re really aware of those hidden messages, chance meetings and unexpected discoveries.
In just three hours of walking and wandering, participants have resolved problems that have dogged them for years, found new business ideas, changed careers, discovered new directions, and learned how to deal differently with life and love.
Invented by creative maestro David Pearl in 2013 and developed with the help of business beatnik and fellow author Chris Baréz-Brown, Street Wisdom is an experimental idea that has rapidly grown into a global movement. Our mission is to make every street in every city a free source of inspiration for everyone, every single day.
Who is it for? It is relevant for anyone struggling with the day-to-day personal stuff, tackling a challenge in the workplace, figuring out what's next, or seeking a creative breakthrough. Once experienced, it can be easily replicated on a personal basis, or taken into the workplace and used to inspire teams and colleagues.
What do you bring? An open mind, good walking shoes and clothes for all weather. A question you'd like answered: not too big ('What is the meaning of life?'), not too small ('What shall I have for lunch?') but somewhere in the middle - a burning issue to which you'd like fresh answers.
Please watch this short film about Street Wisdom and reserve your place so we can keep you updated – if you are unable to come at the last minute, please contact us so we may give someone else the chance to take part.
Find out more at: www.streetwisdom.org
Why Horses?
Research shows that in the presence of horses, we align the head, heart and gut. We become more authentic and gain more clarity. Horses mirror your non-verbal communication so you quickly identify the impact of your leadership, have chance to recalibrate in the moment and find new ways of working. Leadership with Horses harnesses this profound way of learning to create fast results that are repeatable back in work and life situations.
Personal Leadership
Experience how horses mirror your non-verbal communication and provide feedback on your strengths and areas to improve your leadership
3 positions of leadership
Learn a simple leadership model and work with the horses to identify how you lead naturally and where you can expand your range
Team dynamics
Discover how teams work effectively together, what causes them to be derailed and how to apply it to your own team. The learning is equally applicable to family and life situations as well as work
What you can expect
The Leadership Whisperers help senior leaders develop embodied leadership skills that have a profound impact on teams. Through live events and workshops, we partner with horses who provide non-judgmental feedback, enabling clients to identify their leadership impact and transform themselves into courageous and hugely influential, non-verbal communicators.
We combine Jude’s 16 years senior leadership and business experience with Emma’s 16 years HR experience to map the learning back to practical work and life situations.
Book now to take advantage of our Earlybird price of £25.00, or £20.00 if you are a ConsciousCafe Supporter.
Click here to buy Jude's new book, Leadership Beyond Measure.
For example, what relationship have you consciously developed between your spirit and your soul, your mind and your brain, your feelings and your body? And what impression does this make on others?”
Teacher, speaker and acclaimed author Mark Ballabon returns to ConsciousCafe with this powerful interactive event 'Discover your true relationship with yourself'. As always, he will offer us original insights and dynamic exercises to inspire a higher level of wisdom and freedom in this most important of our relationships… which influences every aspect of how we live our lives.
PRICE
£15.00 All bookings made online before 14/4/16
£20.00 On the door
£12.00 ConsciousCafe Supporters for all bookings made online before 14/4/16
Sara Troy of Positive Living interviews our own Judy Piatkus about ConsciousCafe, how it started and where it's going, Judy's worldview and also a segment on self-publishing versus traditional publishing towards the end. (more…)
Does the word conscious make you switch on or turn off?
Last night I went to an interactive discussion around Conscious Leadership with a group of 30 other people who were invited through ConsciousCafe, a select group run by entrepreneur, motivational speaker and founder of publishing company Piatkus Books, Judy Piatkus. For some time now, Judy has been keen to explore the group's thoughts, feelings and bias towards the use of the term 'conscious leader'.
What I particularly liked about the evening was that the facilitator Judy had (well) chosen, Charlie Efford, didn’t at any point seek to influence or tell us what he thought conscious leadership actually meant, which to me was a good example of conscious leadership in action. (more…)
An interactive event to be facilitated by Andrew Isaac Thornton & Eudora Ralph Pascall of Heart in Business Limited
Andrew Isaac Thornton and Eudora Ralph Pascall are the Founders of Heart in Business Limited, an organisation that inspires and supports companies to focus on people and the planet, trusting that profit will follow. They will facilitate an interactive event where we will have the opportunity to hear about the ideas behind Heart in Business. We will then explore how we might introduce these new ways of thinking into our own world of work, in order to achieve much greater success and all-round rewards for everyone involved.
Event includes food and drink.
By Joseph Jaworski, with an introduction by Peter Senge.
This is a book that has been mentioned to me, on many occasions, by close friends and colleagues. And for years, I believed that “I didn’t need to read it”. I was so wrong. A copy of it happened to be on one of my friend’s shelves during a brief visit to Holland this summer. I picked it up and browsed through it. A number of words immediately caught my eye – one of those was “dialogue”, as Jaworski had the immense privilege of meeting and chatting with the physicist, David Bohm, one afternoon in London and I am particularly interested in ‘dialogue’. Almost immediately I found myself reading large sections of it. I bought a copy on my return home and now consider it to be one of the best books I have ever read about surrendering to life and learning to respond to what it needs from us, rather than egoistically believing that we can plan, control and manipulate it to our advantage.
The charm of Jaworski’s story is that it is his own, personal story. He was a successful North American lawyer from a famous family of lawyers, and the promise of a successful life ahead of him - until the day his wife suddenly asked him for a divorce. He was in his early 40’s. His world crashed around him and he was faced with having to construct a new one. Within that process, he found himself again, and re-discovered ways to connect with his intuition and the natural flow of life.
Many good things happened to him personally and professionally from then on.
His life is particularly interesting if you are interested in the subject of leadership. As a result of a series of very interesting events and encounters – what some might describe as “coincidences” - , Jaworski found himself “called” to fund the American Leadership Forum. He was then headhunted to lead the now very famous scenario building team at Shell headquarters in the UK.
This book offers some great tips on how to be, learn, intuit and change, and work in partnership with life – not against it, or in spite of it... One tip that will remain with me is to nurture the courage to act on what we sense. In particular, to reach out to people we meet and immediately “know” from the moment we first see them – without knowing why or how. That is how Jaworski met his second wife – in an airport, of all places - and many other key figures on his journey. We often allow our mind to hold us back, out of fear, or out of respect to social norms. Jaworski’s life story shows that life can be more rewarding when we trust and follow our inner knowing and allow ourselves to connect with others, only because we sense we need to – not because we need something specific from them - ; thus, we are able to allow life to unfold according to its natural, benevolent flow.
The moral of the story? Good things happen when we listen to our inner voice or follow our intuition – when we are connected to it...
Review by Caroline Pakel, from to the heart, a creative problem solving agency facilitating understanding and change for groups and individuals. www.totheheart.com
Do you remember learning to ride a bike?
I do. Mark Rogers from no. 25 taught me in our street, in front of all the neighbours. I remember the moment of panic as I suddenly realised that I was riding on my own, without stabilisers or Mark holding on to the back of my seat. I wobbled and nearly fell, not because I didn’t have the balance or skill, but because every thought in my panicked head began: ‘am I?’
The moment I became secure was the moment I learned to say “I am!”
Do you remember when you first learned to swim without water wings in the deep end of the swimming pool? Alan, my ex-flatmate / ex-business partner taught me. I remember swimming beyond the shallow end, realizing that the water below me was far deeper than the length of my legs. I could have felt panic. I could have felt terror. When I disengaged from it and thought about it, I felt fear. But when I engaged with my stroke, breathing into the present moment, I allowed it to carry me. I felt myself float and I swam with the calm and joy of a Buddhist dolphin.
This article is about two states which I call ‘am I?’ and “I am”. The two perspectives on life that we can take in our every moment, either consciously or unconsciously. I hope it will help you to recognise which state you are in at any given moment. I’d like to share a few tricks on how to change state from ‘am I?’ into one of “I am”. Here’s a run-down:
‘Am I?’ is driven by an external sense of self. The feeling that who we are is determined by others, as we hand our power over to them. Often it arises from our dated doubts and fears, paranoia and projected fantasy expectations. It leaves us in a constant state of doing – reacting, spinning plates and putting on a good show, troubleshooting life as we attract trouble to shoot.
‘Am I?’ attracts repetitive unhelpful patterns and same old unsatisfactory outcomes. It’s a life lived in survival mode. It’s a life lived in fear and panic, dodging judgement and abandonment. ‘Am I?’ has us shallow breathing, power-thinking, panic-reacting, second-guessing, uptight, on our guard, ready to fight, flight or freeze.
This self-preservation instinct has, no doubt, helped billions of people survive life-threatening situations, but how do we let our inner protectors know that the war is over – that it’s safe now? Once we progress beyond living in survival mode, our old protective shields can turn into tight little cages that restrict our lives from growing. Such control leaves little, if any room for who I am to take root and flower.
In my 25 years of work in this arena, the most frequent concern I have heard from men is a lack of control. I have met men who would rather kill themselves than be out of control. Men come to me running from the two big male fears: humiliation and abandonment. They all come in wanting something, and rather than getting that thing, they make their hero’s journey from‘am I?’ to “I am”, and along the way, they make authentic space for themselves.
If ‘am I?’ is external, “I am” comes from an internal sense of self. It is conscious. It is authentic. It brings out the best of who we are in the present moment. It’s aware of our baggage, but it doesn’t let it run the show. It attracts calm, certainty, safety and the right people. It allows things to flow efficiently, where meeting our own needs comes first, enabling us to extend ourselves to others. It is a very comfortable and powerful place of being.
I am is awash with endorphins, the substance our bodies create that produces a feeling of wellbeing. Similar to how we feel after exercise, in love, at orgasm, or a relief from pain. Safe and able to take part in life, sharing, receiving and growing.
If you are anything like me, you have probably felt moments of terror when asked to take the spotlight, a platform, on a stage. By coming from I am, I have found a way to take these opportunities and enjoy giving them my best shot, rather than fearing every step. I have learned to focus on an outcome beyond my edge. Then the journey brings me alive. Am I? would take me back to the troubled child who fluffed his lines and had the school laughing. I am takes care of that frightened child and brings him on stage with me, showing him how wonderful the view is from here as we unlearn the past together in a breath.
My trusty shields protected me from public humiliation for all those years, but also kept me from realising my potential as I blocked life’s opportunities. That shield is no longer running the show. My long-suppressed inner showman now relishes the endless possibilities of authentic, playful presentations that bring praise, celebration, self-acceptance, self-nurture and invitations for more. Beyond this, he’s up for fun, risks and even trusting Channel 4’s ‘Cutting Edge’ as my shadow is paraded for all and sundry! This is now my norm and the fear of criticism, humiliation, rejection, abandonment and abuse – from myself or others – can be the fuel that drives me forward. What a relief!
As soon as I catch myself lost in my headspace, I move from Am I? to I am in just one breath. As I inhale I fill my lungs with air and I fill my heart with the contentment ofbe~ing, thinking ‘thank you for reminding me who I used to be’. As I exhale, I let go of the stressful demands that my inner am I? is trying to foist upon me and with a quiet mind I engage with what’s in front of me. I take part in life.
I often had inner dialogues with my thoughts and emotions running constantly in the background. Times and places that I had not quite let go of, that I survived, but that I still carried around. I put those things to paper and disassociated from them, so I can look at them from the outside rather than believing that this was who I am. I am who I am right here and right now.
If the ‘am I?’ to “I am” breath doesn’t cut it, there may be a depressed ‘pause button’ that keeps you stuck somewhere in the past. As you breathe into the feeling, let yourself follow it to its source. It is likely to take you back to a specific scene, incident, or time in your life that will likely reveal itself, ready for acceptance and reconsolidation info a life beyond old limitations. Clearing up what’s in the shadow makes space for more in the light of daily life.
My wife once said to me “all this talk of alcoholism, drug addiction, sex and love addiction, workaholism, I don’t buy it! I think it’s all addiction to thoughts and emotions!” Spot on! She reminded me that I am not my thoughts. I am not my emotions. I am not my history. I am a free spirit, on an earthly adventure, creating my reality as I straddle my cycles of life, swimming high on the crest of a wave with quiet confidence, natural courage and on purpose. I am.
article first appeared here: http://www.kennydcruz.com/how-to-be-free/
Abundance is a very popular word right now. Sometimes it almost seems as though the word “abundance” is a socially acceptable way of saying "lots of money!" Although an increase in material wealth may be a goal for many, the true meaning of abundance goes beyond just simply having or acquiring more money. It's more all-encompassing and bigger than that. Abundance is a feeling. It's something that is already there that just needs to be tapped into. Abundance is gratitude and seeing the richness in every moment. Abundance is love. More and more, people are realizing that abundance is a choice. Take a look at some of these great quotes on abundance, to explore its true meaning and feel free to share what abundance means to you in the comments below.
original article appears here: http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/50-quotes-abundance
ConsciousCafe is a not-for-profit organisation, a friendly and welcoming community, a place to live life consciously.